A blog exploring the intersection of economic thinking and urban planning/real estate development and related big-think themes.

Sunday, June 26, 2005

Unruly world

Some rightly worry that a government that cannot fix potholes is unlikely to fix the world.

Others, such as Michael Ignatieff (in today's NY Times) write: "Who Are Americans To Think That Freedom Is Theirs To Spread? ... Around the world (and among some critics at home), America's long-held desire to export liberty and democracy is called hubristic, messianic, imperialistic and worse. But try imagining a world without it."

It's an unruly world and has always been so. Yet, unruly now poses a bigger threat than ever. Our responses (and those of our allies) are also unruly -- to say the least.